APRIL 4, 2007. SHANGHAI CAMPUS.

CEIBS was honored today to host Shanghai Municipal People's Congress (SMPC) Standing Committee Director Gong Xueping on a campus tour and discussion of CEIBS areas of educational and research focus. Mr. Gong was accompanied by SMPC Standing Committee Deputy Directors Zhou Muyao, Bao Xinbao, Liu Lunxian, Zhang Shengkun, and Hu Wei. The full delegation included some 25 officials in charge of the SMPC's legal, finance, science and education, city construction, and religion departments.

Shanghai Municipal People's Congress Standing Committee Director Gong Xueping (center) takes a campus tour with CEIBS management committee.

SMPC Standing Committee Director Gong Xueping (center) with CEIBS President Dr. Zhu Xiaoming (left) and CEIBS Honorary President Prof. Liu Ji (right).

Following the campus tour, the delegation spoke frankly with the CEIBS management committee and administrators. In his briefing to the officials on the school's current status, CEIBS Vice President and Co-Dean Zhang Weijiong concluded by describing the successful experience of ranking among the world's top-tier business schools this year. The Financial Times ranked the CEIBS MBA program as 11th in the world and No. 1 in the Asia-Pacific for 2007, while ranking the CEIBS EMBA program as 17th worldwide.

CEIBS Honorary President Liu Ji introduced the school's experience in developing high-profile business leaders of top international standard, while remaining very proud of its Chinese roots. CEIBS President Dr. Zhu Xiaoming introduced the school's plan to establish an International Finance Research Center focusing educational and research efforts toward the financial field - a project that matches well with Shanghai's goal of developing into an international financial center.

Representing the government delegation, SMPC Deputy Director Hu Wei congratulated CEIBS on entering the first tier of international business schools. He also stressed the need for the school's faculty to maintain committed to "conscientiousness, innovation, and excellence." Mr. Hu also urged CEIBS to focus on developing local educational resources and local business cases along with its efforts toward internationalization. Mr. Hu also encouraged the school to speed the development of innovation in China, to provide a valuable model for the nation's business administration education, to grow business leaders both intensively and extensively, and to provide strong support in human resources and knowledge for Shanghai and the entire country.

The SMPC delegation meets with CEIBS leaders.

In closing, SMPC Standing Committee Director Gong Xueping commented on the close relationship between CEIBS, the SMPC, and himself, personally. He praised the spirit of innovation shown by the school's leaders and faculty, and he promised that the SMPC will continue to strongly support the development of CEIBS, and to help the school contribute towards Shanghai's goal of becoming an international financial center.